Social, emotional and mental health

Are you worried about school, friendships or home? If you need to talk to someone, or help to make friends and be more active, then the groups below can help. There is also advice for parents of children who need help and support.

Local organisations

Cypher App is an anonymous peer to peer social network app, for young people to open up and share their secrets, build networks, support others, connect to support organisations and much more

EMU is for over 18s and challenges stigma on mental health, promoting social integration and working towards more positive images of people with mental health problems

Enfield Saheli offers support and advice to women in Enfield and neighbouring London boroughs. The charity is run by women for women, with special emphasis on support for Asian women of all ethnicities

Enfield Women’s Centre offers support to vulnerable and disadvantaged women and their families living in Enfield. They provide a range of activities and services for women to have fun and make changes in their lives, through learning new skills to work towards economic independence.

Mind in Enfield offers a range of services for young people with mental health difficulties or who are struggling with their mental wellbeing. Services include counselling, advocacy, and housing.

Well Happy is an app providing easy to access information about health issues to young people. It’s designed for people aged 12 to 25 who are concerned about mental and sexual health, drugs, alcohol and smoking.

Youth Enfield is where young people can find information, advice and guidance on a whole range of activities, programmes and services available in Enfield

National organisations

ChildLine is a free 24-hour counselling service for children and young people up to under 19. You can call, talk to a counsellor online, send an email or post on the message boards.

Dad info for fathers gives free expert advice and support from legal issues, child development to financial advice and everything in between

Family Lives offers parenting and family support, online chats, a helpline and parenting classes

Gingerbread supports one parent families. They provide free membership and run local friendship groups. There is also an online forum, or you can read stories and advice from other single parents.

MeeTwo App provides peer support through social media, promoting mental well-being of young people. MeeTwo works in partnership with Young Minds and the NSPCC.

MindEd is a free educational resource for adults on children and young people’s mental health

Samaritans is a 24-hour telephone helpline offering emotional support to people experiencing distress or despair

The Mix offers free information and support for young people aged 13 to 25 about sex, relationships, drugs, mental health, money and jobs

Think U Know is a guide to Internet safety and safe surfing for young people (5 to 14+)

Young Minds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people

Young Minds for Parents gives advice and support for parents worried about their child’s behaviour, emotional problems and mental health

Young Sane is a virtual community that focuses on mental health for people under 25. They highlight issues relevant to young people and talk about their unique needs. It celebrates the ingenuity, passion and dedication of young people who have made a commitment to tackling mental health stigma and changing mental health for good.

Youth Access provides details of local youth counselling services for young people aged 12 to 25. Their online search will help you find your nearest service.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a technique which can help people manage their mental health or simply gain more enjoyment from life. It involves making a special effort to give your full attention to what is happening to your body, mind or surroundings, in the present moment. Mindfulness describes a way of approaching our thoughts and feelings so we become more aware of them and react to them differently.

Headspace is an app for meditation made simple. You can learn online or on your phone, when you want, wherever you are, in just ten minutes a day.

Bullying

If you’re worried about bullying, you should check your school website to see their anti-bullying policy. You can also get support from:

Stonewall campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people across Britain

Gendered Intelligence is a community interest company that runs arts programmes, creative workshops, mentoring, and youth group sessions for trans youth across the UK

Mermaids offers family and individual support for teenagers and children with gender identity issues

Eating disorder support

Beat is the UK’s leading charity supporting anyone affected by eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) or any other difficulties with food, weight and shape

If you're worried about a child or young person, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful whether you're a family member, friend or teacher.

If you’re worried about your mental health, telling your doctor is the first step to getting help. You can speak to your doctor about your mental health and wellbeing at any age and it is confidential for anyone over 16, unless there is a concern about risk.

You should get help if you’re experiencing anything that’s worrying you, including:

Anxiety

Bullying

Depression

Divorce and separation

Exam stress

Family problems

Grieving

Relationship problems

Self-harm

Struggles with sexuality

Substance misuse

The Youth Wellbeing Directory helps you locate local and national organisations if you're looking for help for yourself or someone you know.

Groups who can help:

Big White Wall provides online early intervention for people with psychosocial distress, aged 16 and over. They have self-management tips and even virtual live therapy. Big White Wall is available free in many areas via the NHS, employers, and universities. It’s also free to all UK serving personnel, veterans, and their families.

DAZU offers a professional counselling service for children and young people in education with emotional and behavioural problems. They are offered a regular, confidential space to talk and think about things that are important to them. Referrals can be made by any statutory or voluntary agency, including schools and youth groups. Self-referrals may be made by children and young people as well as family members and carers.

Every Parent and Child enhances the life chances of children, young people and their families. They focus on vulnerable children and children with special needs.

Friends in need offers information and support for people with depression over the age of 18, through local self-help groups and online resources

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is a free NHS talking therapy for people 16 and over, who are worried or have low mood. They provide a range of treatment programmes including one-to-one therapy, counselling and group work.

Our bereavement service gives information on bereavement charities which all offer help and support for those suffering a loss

Greek and Greek Cypriot Community of Enfield offers free and confidential counselling services to adult members of the community

Nurture groups

Children may attend a nurture group in particular schools. These support children with social, emotional and mental health needs. The children are able to play, explore and learn in a small group with two trusted adults in a home-like environment. There is an emphasis on emotions and feelings, raising self-esteem, identity and self-expression and verbal communication. The school curriculum will be covered at the same time. Children must be appropriately assessed before entering the nurture group. For more information, check their SEN info report or speak to the SENCO.

Language and Social Skills (LASS) groups

These are small groups which run approximately twice a week in particular schools in Enfield. These are for children who have moderate difficulties around language and social skills. The groups follow a given structure that meets the needs as identified by an initial assessment. The activities are as practical as possible and allow many opportunities for speaking and listening, making choices, expressing needs, turn taking, and relating to others.

Place2Be

Place2Be provides emotional and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools. They help to build children's resilience through talking, creative work and play.

Urgent and emergency help

If a young person or child’s life is at risk and needs urgent medical assistance, you should contact your GP or go to an A&E department.

If you’re concerned about the well-being of a child, due to risks such as emotional cruelty, neglect, physical or sexual abuse, contact the Enfield Safeguarding Children Board.

Specialist child and adolescent mental health services

Enfield CAMHS provides a range of specialist services for children, young people and families in need of help due to or at risk of self-harm, suicidal feelings or severe psychiatric illness and psychosis.

The Service for Adolescents and Families in Enfield (SAFE) is a specialist team within CAMHS providing rapid, community-based intervention to young people aged 12 to 18 years in need of crisis mental health support. This includes young people who have harmed themselves or who are at risk of suicide. In addition SAFE offers specialist assessment and intervention to teenagers who may be experiencing severe mental health difficulties, such as severe psychiatric illness and psychosis.

Referrals to CAMHS are accepted from schools, GPs, social care services, youth centres, youth offending organisations and other health and social care professionals.

Exclusion from school

If a child or young person is at risk of permanent exclusion, the school should contact admissions. The child or young person may be referred to the Fair Access Panel where they will be discussed amongst a multi-agency group and further support and advice will be given to the school. Following this there may be a further meeting between the Senior Leadership Team in the school and professionals such as the Behaviour Support Service, Educational Psychology Service and CAMHS. This is called a multi-agency consultation meeting (MAC) which aims to support the school’s thinking in preventing a permanent exclusion.

Critical Incident Response for Educational Settings

The definition of what constitutes a critical incident, tragic event or trauma depends on the particular needs and perceptions of staff, pupils and parents at the time. The Educational Psychology Service and Local Authority CAMHS Team offer help in relation to traumatic events such as the violet or sudden death of a pupil, a school fire or a meningitis scare. Consultation with an outside professional has been valuable in considering the following issues:

How and when to share initial information with staff, children or young people and parents

Maintaining the school routine

Planning whole school response, such as assemblies and letters

Responding to a bereaved family including attendance at funerals

Clarifying who is most affected by the incident; staff, children or young people, parents

How to offer support to staff and pupils

Clarifying which children and young people may be helped by individual or group work or referral to CAMHS or another agency

Longer term needs, such as memorials and anniversaries

Evaluating and learning from the experience

If schools, colleges or other educational settings would like support following a critical incident they can contact the Educational Psychology Service or speak with their allocated Educational Psychologist in the first instance.

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust have developed the Thrive framework as a new model for CAMHS. It is a way of thinking about the needs of children, young people and their families. With this model needs are measured under four categories:

Getting advice

Getting help

Getting more help

Getting risk support

You may encounter some of the following professionals:

Advocacy helps you to access information and services and helps you to make decisions about your life, exploring choices and options

CAMHS practitioners involve lots of mental health professionals working together to provide individual and family work helping children and young people under the age of 18, who experience emotional difficulties or mental health problems.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are medical practitioners who specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health.

Child and Adolescent psychotherapists may see children and young people individually or with other family members. The therapy may be through talking or play, depending on age. The child has an opportunity to work towards understanding themselves, their relationships and their behaviours.

Psychologists can assess and help with young people’s psychological functioning, emotional wellbeing and development. There are different types of psychologists, such as Clinical Psychologists and Educational Psychologists, but they all help with the way you behave, feel and think about things.

Counsellors are trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems.

Family psychotherapists work with young people and their families together. If you're referred to a family therapist you might meet them regularly so they can help you manage the difficulties happening in your life. You can decide who comes to the meetings and what you will speak about.

General practitioners (GPs) are doctors based who treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and refers those with serious conditions to a hospital.

Specialist nurse therapists are dedicated to a particular area of nursing providing direct patient care, and play a vital role in educating patients on how best to manage their symptoms.